Thursday, June 30, 2005

Iraqis Divided Over U.S. Troop Pullout

"BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - For engineering professor Moayad Yasin al-Samaraie, President Bush's pledge to keep U.S. troops in Iraq until their mission is complete was the promise of order over chaos. But the assurance rang hollow for Mona Hussein, who woke up Wednesday without electricity or running water after spending the night on her roof trying to escape Baghdad's sweltering heat.

Iraqis on the street and the country's politicians seemed divided over Bush's refusal to provide a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops, along with his promises for a better life in this country of 26 million people.

"Iraq cannot be stable if the American and coalition forces leave," al-Samaraie said.

The 55-year-old said chaos could result "because Iraqi forces don't have the required level of training to protect the country."

But Hussein, also an engineer, said withdrawing foreign troops might restore the security their presence has so far failed to establish.

"The terrorists will continue to attack the Americans as long as they're here. They should leave so that there will be less explosions and more security," she said. "As long as they're here, we'll remain an occupied country, just like Palestine.""My Way

I think that the important thing here, is that neither of these two opinions are illegal, and that people are engaging in this conversation in public. The experience will color future decisions.